Floods likely to worsen as major rivers swell
Staff Reporter :
All the major rivers in the country’s northern and north-eastern regions are likely to increase rapidly due to torrential rainfall occurring in the country as well as the Indian parts at the upstream may continue till August 17.
According to the weather forecasting agencies of Bangladesh and India, due to the impact of the rainfall and upstream water, the water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma Rivers are in a rising trend and may continue in next 48 hours.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) under the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) forecasts that except the Kushiyara, all the major rivers in the north-eastern region of the country are in a rising trend and may remain steady in the next 24 hours.
According to the meteorological agencies, there is a chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the northern and adjoining upstream regions of the country in next 24 hours.
As a result, the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers of this region may rise rapidly at times during this next 24 to 48 hours.
It forecast that in next 24 hours, the Teesta river may flow above respective danger levels at Dalia and Kaunia points.
According to Indian Meteorological Department, light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim till August 15; over Bihar on Monday; over Gangetic West Bengal till August 17; over Odisha and Jharkhand till August 17 and over Andaman and Nicobar Islands till August 16.
It also said that light to moderate fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura till August 17.
According to the meteorological agencies of Bangladesh and India, heavy rainfall was recorded in Sikkim, Arunachal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura regions of North-East India on Sunday.
In Cherrapunji of Meghalaya 195mm, Dhubri of Assam 146mm, Jalpaiguri of West Bengal 116mm, Siliguri of West Bengal 74mm, Passighat of Arunachal 103mm, Coochbehar of West Bangal 61mm, Kalimpong of West Bangal 50mm, and Goalpara (Assam) 41mm rainfall was recorded on the day.
In daily bulletin, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said that the axis of monsoon trough runs through Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal to Assam across northern part of Bangladesh. One of its associated troughs extends up to North Bay.
The monsoon is active over Bangladesh and moderate over North Bay.
It forecast that light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at many places over Rajshahi and Khulna divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country.
According to the FFWC, the Teesta may cross its danger mark (DM) in the next 24 hours at Dalia point in Nilphamari and Kawnia point in Rangpur following continuous sharp rise in water levels amid monsoon rains and onrushing water from upstream.
The BWDB officials said water levels of the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers may rise rapidly at times due to a chance of heavy rainfall upstream in the Brahmaputra basin in the next 24 to 48 hours
. Teesta was flowing below its DM by only 18cm at Dalia point and 15cm below DM at Kawnia point at 9am on Sunday.
The recorded rainfalls during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today were 196mm at Pateshwari, 264mm at Kurigram, 54mm at Dalia, 95mm at Kawnia, 64mm at Chilmari, 57mm at Gaibandha and 62mm at Thakurgaon points in the Brahmaputra basin.
“In addition, the heavy rainfalls recorded during the period were 146mm at Dhubri, 195mm at Cherrapunji, 116mm at Jalpaiguri, 103mm at Passighat and 74mm at Siliguri points of the upstream northwestern Indian states,” the FFWC bulletin said.
The Dudhkumar was flowing below DM by 90cm at Pateshwari, Dharla by 78cm below DM at Kurigram and Brahmaputra was flowing below its DM by 70cm at Noonkhawa, 51cm at Hatia and 61cm at Chilmari points respectively at 9 am today.
The Jamuna was flowing below DM by only 45cm at Fulchhari, 77cm at Shaghata, 43cm at Bahadurabad, 49cm at Sariakandi, 64cm at Kazipur and 44cm at Sirajganj points at 9 am today.
Local BWDB sources said a flood situation is being created in low-lying areas of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Rangpur districts alongside the Teesta following monsoon rains and onrush of water from the upstream during the past few days.
BWDB’s Additional Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone Engineer Md Mahbubur Rahman told BSS that ample preparations have been taken to face any situation during seasonal floods in all eight districts of Rangpur division under BWDB’s Rangpur zone.
“We are closely monitoring the growing flood situation alongside conducting repairing works of flood control structures, devices and embankments at vulnerable points,” he said.
The Deputy Commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi Officers, BWDB authorities, local monitoring committees and public representatives are closely observing the developing situation in the flood-prone districts.
“Currently, all 44 gates of the Teesta Barrage Project are remaining opened at Dalia point in Nilphamari and the river was flowing below its DM by 17cm at Dalia point and 10cm at Kawnia points respectively at 12 noon today,” Engineer Rahman said.
Divisional Commissioner Md. Habibur Rahman said officials of the district and upazila administrations and BWDB and local, public representatives are closely monitoring the developing situation to take instant steps when and where necessary.
